Spicy Vegan Black Bean Soup

This spicy vegan black bean soup is easy to make, incredibly filling and satisfying and has just the right amount of spiciness. It’s made with simple ingredients like onion, garlic, carrot, tomato sauce and black beans but still full of flavour and nutrition. Add some avocado to that and you’ve got a perfect meal in a bowl. This recipe is high in protein, complex carbohydrates and very low in fat. I blended mine for a creamy black bean soup but you can also leave it unblended if you prefer a chunkier soup.

Can’t Argue with Science

I was very scientific above, wasn’t I? But it is true, black beans have a lot going for them. Black beans aren’t usually considered a phytonutrient-rich food but much like brightly coloured veggies, that dark, black colour is where the good stuff is! I include black beans in my diet as often as I can, along with all other beans and legumes. They’re such a great source of fibre and plant-based protein and are so versatile and inexpensive.

Why Make Black Bean Soup?

Why you should try this delicious soup:

easy to make

ready in less than 30 minutes including prep and cooking time

high in protein and fiber

virtually fat-free

high in iron, vitamin A, vitamin C

12% of your daily calcium

creamy but still nice and hearty

keeps well so you can make it for food prep

inexpensive but filling and flavourful

Haha, I’m not very good at writing about food…for me, a good recipe is easy, quick, inexpensive and tastes good and this soup fits the bill. I hope you enjoy it.

Skip the Spice

Oh, and if you don’t want a “spicy” black bean soup, just leave out the jalapeños. It’s delicious either way! OR, try it with chili peppers in adobo sauce for a chipotle-flavored black bean soup.

Bean Soup Toppings

To take this soup to the next level, try topping it with diced avocado, crushed tortilla chips, vegan sour cream and salsa.

More Delicious Vegan Soups

I love making lots of soups in the colder months. I never get tired of them. They’re quick, easy, delicious, healthy, great for meal prep and there are endless creations just waiting to be made. If you love this black bean soup, give these recipes a try, and if you’re looking for another bean soup recipe, don’t miss the chickpea chowder. It’s one of the most popular recipes on the blog.

Spicy Vegan Black Bean Soup

Author:Deryn Macey

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:20 mins

Total Time:30 minutes

Yield:6

Category:Soup

Method:Stovetop

Cuisine:Vegan, Gluten-Free

This hearty soup is easy to make and comes together in under 30 minutes making it a great recipe for quick weeknight dinners. It can also be made in advance as it keeps well and the flavours even improve the next day. This soup is low in fat, vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, sugar-free and high in fibre, protein and iron.

Instructions

Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and bell pepper to a soup pot with a bit of the vegetable broth and cook for 5-10 minutes until starting to soften, stirring occasionally. You can saute in a bit of olive oil if you prefer.

Stir in the spices and cook for a few more minutes.

Add the broth, tomato sauce and black beans and bring to a simmer. Simmer lightly until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.

Scoop half of the soup into a blender and puree until very smooth. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender in the pot but I like the creaminess achieved by transferring it to the blender.

Pour the blended soup back into the pot and stir in the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice, if desired.

Notes

Sub 2-3 chili peppers in adobo sauce for the jalapeno for more of a chipotle flavour.

Start with 3 cups of vegetable broth and add a bit more if it seems too thick, it just depends on the exact amount of veggies you use and how thick you want your soup.

Just made this recipe for dinner! It was so quick and easy to make, and now I have dinner ready for the next few days. The flavour is amazing! And blending half of the soup gives it the perfect texture. Thanks for the great recipe!

I really liked this soup but I found that it needed more spices for my taste. I ended up adding more cumin and oregano and also adding some paprika and homemade “broth paste” to spice it up a bit. Maybe my tomato sauce was too bland! If I made it again I would also use even less water. I started with 3 cups like the recipe says and I thought that was even a little too much. Granted, I like my soups a bit thick, more like a stew.

Glad you liked it! Mine came out like a lot like a stew with 3 cups of water, which is why I suggested adding more if you wanted it a bit thinner. I found it pretty spicy and flavourful as is but you can’t go wrong with even more spice! Thanks for the comment and feedback. 🙂

I’ve just made this and really impressed! So simple but incredibly tasty and flavoursome!! I really like the half blended/half whole texture. I think this will be a new favourite recipe in our house for sure. 🙂

My husband jokes that I cannot follow a recipe to save my life – I have to put my own personal stamp on whatever dish I’m making…but I didn’t change your recipe much at all! Doubled the cumin, used a 28 oz can of El Patio Tomato Sauce (Mexican Hot Style), two 15 oz cans of organic black beans, 1 can of corn, 3 cups veggie broth, 1 cup water, a TBLSP or 2 of tomato paste, and a couple handfuls of finely shredded kale along with the cilantro…served with a spoonful or so of brown rice – delicious, thank you!

The perfect warm and comforting soup! Love that this isn’t as heavy as a chili but still nice and creamy! I didn’t have celery so I roasted some diced sweet potato with S/P and added to the soup too. Thank you so much!

This is an excellent recipe! It goes really well with simply tortilla chips and salsa on the side for a mix of great flavor and a salty side. My husband and I LOVED this! Keep em’ coming! We’ve signed up!

My partner and I enjoyed this soup, though with no jalapeños and only 1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder it was hot enough for us. It has a lovely flavour and was perfect to use the black beans I had bought but didn’t know what to do with. I didn’t have any red peppers/capsicum so added some cannellini beans, peas and spinach. Also left it chunky. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Hi Deryn, I made this again tonight and added the jalapeño and pepper/capsicum. I also blended half of the soup this time and it’s definitely better! I again added the cannellini beans and peas with 5 cups of stock. It still had lots of flavour for us. I really love this soup and how flexible it is. You really can add any veggies and it tastes great! Thanks again!

Probably one of my favorite black bean soup recipes I’ve tried. I like that this one was heavier on the vegetables than the beans, so it was a good consistency for me! Other bean soups I’ve tried have been way too thick. Thank you for sharing!